Canada warns Venezuela about holding elections for Guyana’s Essequibo

– High Commissioner urges Venezuela to respect World Court order

Ahead of the fraudulent elections that Venezuela has said it will hold for Essequibo, Canada has warned Venezuela to desist from holding elections for Guyana’s territory, an action that if Venezuela carries out, will be further breaches of the provisional order handed down by the International Court of Justice (ICJ), as well as agreed to in the Argyle Declaration.
In a statement, Canadian High Commissioner to Guyana, Sébastien Sigouin, urged Venezuela to cancel its planned elections on Sunday in Essequibo, which is two-thirds of Guyana’s landmass. He also reiterated Canada’s support for Guyana’s sovereignty and the ICJ’s adjudication of the controversy.

“The International Court of Justice is seized with the border controversy between Guyana and Venezuela. Canada reiterates its support for Guyana’s sovereignty and urges Venezuela to respect the ICJ May 1, 2025 provisions. This means that Venezuela must refrain tomorrow from holding elections of a Governor of the Essequibo Region,” Sigouin said.
Earlier this month, the World Court ordered that pending a final decision in the case, the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela must refrain from conducting elections or preparing to conduct elections in the disputed territory, which the Co-operative Republic of Guyana currently administers and over which it exercises control.
Guyana had previously asked the court to reaffirm previous orders, after Venezuela announced plans to hold elections in Guyana’s Essequibo region – something that has been widely condemned, especially by the international community including Canada and other ABCE countries.
In a majority order of 12 to three on May 1, 2025, ICJ issued provisional measures, stating that “…Pending a final decision in the case, the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela shall refrain from conducting elections, or preparing to conduct elections, in the territory in dispute, which the Co-operative Republic of Guyana currently administers and over which it exercises control.”
Guyana’s request for provisional measures was the second time that Guyana had to write the ICJ over Venezuelan’s aggression, even as the court is hearing the case to settle the decades-long border controversy between the two South American neighbours.
Back in December 2023, Guyana had approached the World Court after Venezuela’s threat to seize and annex Guyana’s Essequibo region. In response, the ICJ had ordered Venezuela to refrain from any actions to disturb Guyana’s administration and control of that territory pending the conclusion of the case.
In that December 1, 2023 ICJ Order, it was noted “…Unanimously, Pending a final decision in the case, the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela shall refrain from taking any action which would modify the situation that currently prevails in the territory in dispute, whereby the Co-operative Republic of Guyana administers and exercises control over that area; and (2) Both Parties shall refrain from any action which might aggravate or extend the dispute before the Court or make it more difficult to resolve.”
After years of failed good offices process through the United Nations (UN) and based on the recommendation of the then UN Secretary General, Guyana approached the ICJ in March 2018, seeking a final and binding settlement of the 1899 Arbitral Award.
Guyana has already filed two written pleadings on the merits, and Venezuela has filed one, with its second pleading due in August 2025. Oral hearings are expected in the first half of 2026, following which the Court will deliberate on the case and issue its final Judgment on the merits, which will be binding on the parties.
Guyana has pledged to accept the World Court’s Judgment whatever it might be.
However, despite the matter still pending before the ICJ and the two South American neighbours signing the historic Argyle Declaration – a December 2023 peace pact, Venezuela continues to use aggressive tactics against Guyana.
For instance, there was an incursion into Guyana’s waters on March 1, 2025 by a Venezuelan naval vessel which threatened several oil vessels operating there – something which was widely condemned by the international community.